Pols May Not Be Able to Break Gridlock, but Board Is a Snap
WASHINGTON — A word of warning to Republicans: Don’t get in House Speaker Thomas S. Foley’s way. He can break a board in half with his bare hand. So can Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy and Rep. Robert A. Borski (D-Pa.).
The board-breaking bravura of the nation’s lawmakers was the featured attraction of the 1993 Jhoon Rhee International Championships, a benefit tae kwon do extravaganza held at a Washington hotel Saturday night. Not to be missed was the special martial arts ballet, performed to “God Bless America.” It starred six House members: Gene Taylor (D-Miss.), Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), Jim Nussle (R-Iowa), Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), Dick Swett (D-N.H.) and Nick Smith (R-Mich.).
All the lawmakers who performed Saturday are students of Jhoon Rhee, a 61-year-old tae kwon do master who emigrated to the United States from Korea 34 years ago. He has given free lessons to members of Congress for the past 28 years.
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